The feminine strength of Lauren Brevner’s portraits

Lauren Brevner’s subdued portraits of women breaks away from the traditional notion of the female muse and seeks to empower them. Brevner creates works that reflect the vitality of sensuality over sexuality. Her style makes use of her own mixed heritage and experience traveling in Japan by combining a mix of media with elements such as Japanese chiyogami, yuzen, and washi paper.

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Brevner traveled to Osaka in 2009 to get in touch with her roots. There, she sparked her passion for art by apprenticing under renowned artist, Sin Nakayamal. She then moved to New York to grow her personal style and newfound career as an artist. “In Japan, I left behind my personal stigmas and insecurities; in NYC, I gained my artistic confidence and voice,” she said of the experience. [h/t emptykingdom.com]